South Africa October 2014: Datsun Go almost in Top 20

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 35 best-selling carmakers and Top 100 models *

For the second month in a row, new car sales in South Africa buck the overall economic trend in the country, gaining 5% year-on-year to 59,262 registrations, which brings the year-to-date total to 542,048 units, now down just 1% on 2013. The market is lifted by light commercial vehicles (read pickup trucks) up 14% year-on-year vs. just 2% for passenger cars. The VW Polo Vivo resists in pole position thanks to 3,491 sales or 70 more than the Toyota Hilux, that is however not enough to topple the Hilux from its YTD pedestal at 31,322 units vs. 28,830 for the Polo Vivo. The Ford Ranger brilliantly holds onto the third spot thanks to 3,045 sales and 5.1% share, while the Mercedes C-Class is up a further two spot on September to a splendid 6th place at 1,789 units and 3% and the Renault Sandero continues to progress at #14 and 1.5%.

The Mercedes C-Class is up to #6 this month.

But the big event this month in South Africa is the Datsun Go up 95 spots for its first full month of sales in the country to a world-best #21 with 583 sales and 1% market share. Its previous best was #22 hit last April in India, where it has since receded to outside the Top 40. Let’s not read too much yet into this early success as South African sales charts can tend to be front-loaded for new models, but this is surely a good sign. It is however not (yet?) the best ranking reached by a Datsun model since the brand has been relaunched earlier this year, this honour goes to the Datsun Go+ MPV up to #11 in Indonesia last September.